NOTE: Mail-in applications must be postmarked at least 30 days before the election.

Felons and Restored Voting Rights

As a felon, you can register to vote if you’ve restored your voting rights.

Tennessee provides the Certificate of Restoration of Voting Rights (Form SS-3041). You cannot complete this form yourself; an agent with the authority to provide the required information—such as a probation or parole officer or criminal court clerk—must complete the form and submit it to your local county election commission office.

NOTE: Completing and submitting the form doesn’t mean your voting rights are automatically restored. You can be denied for a variety of reasons. Some of the most common include first-degree murder, rape, and treason crimes.

Out-of-State & Military Registration

Military and Overseas Voter Registration

Military members, their dependents, and overseas U.S. citizens can register to vote by completing a Federal Post Card application (FPCA). This application is also referred to as “Form 76.” This form is typically a request for absentee voting; however, if you are currently not registered, it will be treated as a request for temporary voter registration.

Once you’ve completed the application, send to the address of your local county election commission.

If the election commission has a fax machine in its office, you may fax the application.

The application must be received by the election commission no sooner than January 1st of the election year UNLESS the election is fewer than 90 days after January 1st. In that case, it must be received no sooner than 90 days prior to the election and no later than 7 days prior.

NOTE: Typically, people who register to vote by mail must appear in person the first time they vote; however, this regulation is waived for military members and their dependents and overseas U.S. citizens with permanent TN residences. Once you are no longer eligible for this exemption, you must vote in person.

For more information on military and absentee voting, please see the TN SOS website.

Out-of-State Residents

TN residents temporarily outside of the state (for example, college students studying in another state) can register to vote by mail.

Please see our “Register to Vote in Tennessee” section above to learn how to register to vote by mail.

If you’ll be outside TN at the time of the election and will need to vote absentee, please visit the TN SOS website.

Either way, you must apply no later than 5 days before the election; otherwise, you can’t vote.

If the voting period has already started, you do have the option vote early at any early voting station within between 20 days and 5 days of the election. You’ll be able to update your address and vote early in the same visit.

If you wait until election day to update, you’ll have to complete an affidavit before you can vote, and you’ll have to go to your new polling location or a central location designated by the election commission office.

Moved to Another County?

If you’re changing your address because you moved to another county, you must register to vote with that county. Your voter registration doesn’t move with you.

Duplicate TN Voter Registration Cards

Lost your voter registration card? You can apply for a duplicate voter registration card at your local county election commission. You must make your application in writing.